


pretty words, prettier you

by ruibinbins (sysupportgroup)



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining, Rated T for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-10 12:29:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14736995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sysupportgroup/pseuds/ruibinbins
Summary: “Put your backpack down,” Zhengting covers his mouth as he yawns, strolling leisurely to the kitchenette and filling up a small kettle at the sink. It’s warmer in here and Xukun would be falling asleep if not for the sheer surreality of this situation, “what kind of tea do you want?”“Tea?”“Leaf water.” Zhengting deadpans, arching an eyebrow at him. “I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”





	pretty words, prettier you

“Bro,” Xukun hisses into the phone, wrapping his jacket closer around him to keep the wind out. There’s almost no point to it though, maybe some psychological comfort at most, because the cold has already seeped into his bones, turning his fingers into brittle icicles, “you need to come down and let me in - I forgot my keycard.”

“Again?” Ziyi’s voice is gentle as always but still incredulous, thick from sleep. “How do you keep doing this?”

“I don’t know,” Xukun snaps, trying to retreat further into himself. The wind whips around him like it’s been enraged by his meagre attempts at defence, making his teeth knock together violently. Fuck, he really chose the best time to get locked out. “Could you just come down?”

“I’m home for the weekend bro,” Ziyi murmurs apologetically and _shit_ yeah, Xukun should’ve known. In-between all the early am instant noodles and highlighted chunks of textbook, he thinks he remembers Ziyi saying something of the sort before Xukun passed out on top of his biology textbook and woke up with fluorescent yellow striped across his cheek. One of their building’s RA’s had barely been able to suppress a giggle as Xukun had rushed past him to get to class that morning.

And speaking of…

“ - call Zhengting. He’s on duty tonight.”

“I don’t want to though,” Xukun whines into the phone, flattening himself against the tinted glass door of their building. He shrugs off his backpack, stuffed to the brim with his textbooks and a dead laptop, and slings it around his front instead like a backwards turtle, “I’ve caused enough trouble for him this semester.” He pauses and then adds on, maybe a bit too quickly, “And the other RA’s. All of them, I mean.”

“Hey, Zhengting doesn’t hate anyone.” Ziyi chides him and if he detected Xukun’s hasty cover-up, he’s a good enough person not to call him out on it. “He’s a softie really, despite the horror stories people keep spreading about him. He just gets annoyed easily.”

“Even Bufan is scared of him.” Xukun insists petulantly. “He got bruises from that one time he beat Zhengting at Mario Cart. _Bufan_ . Bruises, Ziyi, _bruises_. Be prepared to find my body on Monday if I actually call him out at,” he checks the time on his phone, “3.48 am. Especially in this weather.” The wind rustles the surrounding trees loudly as if to prove his point, sending one particularly cold gust his way. It infiltrates his jacket, making goosebumps prick up on his skin as he shudders bodily and lets out a sharp sneeze.

“Look,” Ziyi is still talking, he realises faintly, more concerned now, “just because you flooded one of the washing machines one time - “

“And set off the fire alarm.”

“Okay, and set off the fire alarm - “

“And broke the communal vacuum cleaner.”

“ _And_ broke the communal vacuum cleaner - wait, that was you?”

“Uh...”

Ziyi sighs, breath staticky through the receiver, “Yeah I changed my mind, he might actually kill you on sight.”

“Thanks man.” Xukun bites out, closing his eyes and resigning himself to spending the night outside tonight. There aren’t even any visible stars in the sky to make it worthwhile. He groans and slumps down against the door, huddling pitifully in the corner. He can’t afford to get sick right now but it seems inevitable given that he doesn’t know anyone else well enough to swipe him in or answer their door this late at night. “Really appreciate it.”

“Bro, you need to call him.” Ziyi smacks his lips sleepily. “Finals are right around the corner and a cold is going to kill your chances at ranking. I’ll even call him for you if you want.”

“No, no that’s,” Xukun musters up a small smile, “that’s cool. I’ll call him. If he does kill me, at least I won’t have to sit my exams.”

“Good positive thinking there.” Ziyi laughs before his tone dips, just a touch stern. “Make sure to call him right after we hang up, yeah? He’s literally getting paid to put up with you and everyone else’s problems so don’t feel too bad about it.”

“Yeah, ‘lright.” Xukun mumbles and bids goodnight to Ziyi, thanking him for picking up in the first place. It’s nice to know he’s not completely alone in the world, even if he’s five hours removed from his hometown. He hangs up with a decisive jab to the screen and tucks his phone into his pocket, hugging his backpack closer to himself. It’s going to be his pillow for the night because he is _definitely_ not calling Zhengting. Sorry Ziyi, the last thing he wants is for Zhengting to hate him more than he does already, to think of him as that one troublesome kid in his building who keeps making his life harder.

Because Zhengting...

Xukun wouldn’t say he was scared of him, not really. Intimidated perhaps, if anything, because it’s hard not to be in the face of someone so pretty. Talented too, if Zhengting’s performance showcase from this year was representative of his skills. Xukun groans. If only that was it. He knows how to deal with pretty and talented but Zhengting had to go ahead and be... God, he doesn’t even know.

 

(On the day of the highlighter incident, Zhengting had run out of the building after him, still wheezing a little from laughter. He grabbed Xukun’s arm to stop him in his tracks, amusement colouring his expression.

 _Fuck_ , Xukun’s brain screamed at him, _you are so fucked._

“Hey,” Zhengting said, brushing blond bangs away from his eyes with a large grin splitting his cheeks wide, “you probably shouldn’t go around with that on your face.”

“W-what.” Xukun responded intelligently, hyper-aware of the warm grip encircling his wrist. He blamed his three hours of sleep as explanation for his sudden fixation.

“Here. You’ve got...” Zhengting licked his thumb and swiped it across Xukun’s cheek, passing it over his skin until the marks were as faded as he could get them. Some part of Xukun should really have been disgusted but somehow he’d been rooted to the spot, frozen in place by his quickening heart. “Okay yeah, that’s better.” He smiled once more at Xukun and patted him none too gently on the shoulder, “Try not to fall asleep on your books again, handsome.” He looked back at the unmanned front desk in the building, noting the stray student waiting around, with a sigh.

“Have a good day!” He chirped and gave Xukun a little wave before dashing back inside.

Only when the door slammed shut behind him did Xukun start breathing again, stumbling clumsily in the direction of his class. Suffice to say, ‘late’ could barely begin to describe his tardiness.)

 

“Xukun?” A hand shakes his shoulder roughly, making his head bump into the cold glass surface behind him. “Cai Xukun?”

Xukun cracks his eyes open, ready to snap at the person disturbing his sleep. It takes his addled brain a little time to register the person peering down at him before he realises... oh. _Oh_.

Ziyi, you motherfucker.

Zhu Zhengting stands above him, lips pursed, arms crossed and blatantly unimpressed. He’s in pyjamas, just a thin black shirt and butterfly print pyjama pants, and trembling slightly because of it. A headband pushes his hair out of his face, revealing more forehead than Xukun knows how to deal with. It’s enough to make him shoot to his feet immediately, scrambling to make himself look a little more put-together than seven consecutive hours of study have rendered him.

“H-hey,” he stammers out and hopes he can blame it on the cold, “what are you doing out here, ge?”

“Saving your ass,” Zhengting says bluntly and points to the door, “now get inside before we both get sick.”

Xukun nods hurriedly and complies, on the verge of shedding grateful tears when he steps into the blissfully lukewarm lobby area. He’s about to just rush for the elevator when Zhengting’s hands clap down on his shoulders and steer him into the small break room next to the reception instead.

“Put your backpack down,” Zhengting covers his mouth as he yawns, strolling leisurely to the kitchenette and filling up a small kettle at the sink. It’s warmer in here and Xukun would be falling asleep if not for the sheer surreality of this situation, “what kind of tea do you want?”

“Tea?”

“Leaf water.” Zhengting deadpans, arching an eyebrow at him. “I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”

“Um,” Xukun chooses to say instead, eyes wide and brain choosing now to glitch out on him, “are you mad at me?”

“Mad?” Zhengting turns around to face him, leaning against the counter with the slightest frown on his face. “That you were dumb enough not to call me immediately, yeah. What if you’d gotten frostbite out there? Or mugged? Or murdered?” His tone rises as he goes on, overly dramatic and ridiculously endearing.

“No I mean like,” Xukun gestures limply, letting his hands fall into his lap, “that you had to come fix one of my fuckups. Again.”

“I’m your RA,” Zhengting says slowly, the crease getting deeper. Xukun wants more than anything, the courage to get up and smooth it out, “it’s literally my job to fix your fuckups.”

“Yeah but I fuck up _a lot_ ,” Xukun emphasises, says it like an explanation, “honestly I’m surprised you’re not filing an application to have me kicked out right now.”

“Xukun,” Zhengting squints at him, folding his arms, “everyone makes mistakes. And honestly, yours are really not the worst I’ve dealt with.”

“...I broke the vacuum cleaner trying to suck up cereal.” Xukun mumbles like a reluctant confession, staring at the tabletop. A few crumbs speckle its surface, maybe left behind by another one of the RA’s because Zhengting doesn’t eat toast. He shouldn’t know that and yet he does. He reaches out to flick them away.

Zhengting snorts and attends to the boiling kettle, switching it off at the main and carefully pouring the water into two clean mugs. “Well have you ever sicced gerbils onto my underwear drawer?” He asks calmly, dunking a teabag into each mug and setting them onto the table. They’re both green tea. “Or put wasabi on my toothbrush? Or dressed up as a ghost to scare me whilst I was _in the shower_?”

He plays with the string of the teabag idly, waiting for it to seep and Xukun blinks multiple times to make sure he didn’t mishear anything.

“Those don’t sound like mistakes.” He says finally. He wonders who would have the gall to pull pranks like that on Zhengting of all people.

“Oh trust me,” Zhengting smiles, saccharine sweet, and takes a delicate sip of his tea, “if you saw what I did to those brats after, you’d realise how much of a mistake they made.”

The heating is on in this room but Xukun shivers nonetheless.

“But my point is,” Zhengting coughs and rests his hand on Xukun’s outstretched one, patting it gently. It warms his fingers up immediately and Xukun resists the urge to yank his hand back in response to the sudden heat that floods his cheeks, “if Minghao and Chengcheng are alive right now - despite having pulled all that bullshit - I’m certainly not going to hate you for anything you’ve done.” He pauses momentarily and the corners of his mouth turn upwards in a wry smirk. “Though maybe be a bit more careful around appliances, I think you might have a bit of a problem with those.”

Xukun exhales a laugh, one of slight relief.

“It’s a curse,” he jokes, using his free hand to bring his mug to his lips. The tea is oversteeped, the bitter aftertaste coating his mouth, but he figures it’s apt punishment for his entirely too long fit of gay panic, “can’t be too perfect, you know?”

Zhengting laughs, covering his mouth with a hand and gives Xukun a conspiratorial wink. “Oh I definitely know.”

Xukun nearly spits his tea out but forces himself to gulp it down hastily, coughing his lungs out instead as he slams the cup down. What the fuck was that supposed to mean?

“Shit,” Zhengting jumps to his feet, panicked, “are you okay?” He comes around Xukun’s side and slaps his back harshly, making Xukun splutter even more. There’s hidden strength in those arms, he thinks dazedly, enough to populate his daydreams for a month. “Do I have to get out the first aid?”

“Nope, nope.” Xukun waves him away, face scarlet from his little fit. “Wrong pipe, I’m totally fine.”

“I don’t know if I should believe you,” Zhengting barks out a laugh, eyeing him thoughtfully as he settled across the table again. Their ankles touch for a fleeting second and Xukun wants to cry, “you’re always so opposed to letting me help you.”

“What are you talking about?” Xukun coughs again to clear his throat and lowers his gaze to his hot tea. It’s still too hot to be a throat soother. Zhengting makes an irritated noise in his throat and gets up again to fetch him another mug, this time full of tap water.

“This.” Zhengting says flatly, watching Xukun sip cautiously from the new mug. “You’re always refusing my help but you’re okay with asking Fen-ge to fix the vacuum cleaner? Or asking Zhangjing how to work the washing machines? I might be the youngest RA but I’m not incompetent, Xukun. I _want_ to help.”

“I - “ Xukun cups his hands around his tea and absorbs the warmth silently, “that wasn’t my intention. I didn’t mean to come off like that ge, I just don’t want to trouble you.”

“And Fen-ge and Zhangjing are fair game?” Zhengting sips his tea, threatening in his serenity. “I’ll let them know.”

“Wait no,” Xukun blurts out, “no that’s not what I mean either.”

“Then what Xukun?” Zhengting looks at him tiredly. “What’s concerning you so much that you won’t let me do my job properly?”

“I just…” Xukun’s mouth dries up. “I just want you to like me.”

“What?” Zhengting’s face is open, always so open, displaying his current confusion for the world to see. “But I already like you, why wouldn’t I?“

Xukun finishes off his tea in one mouthful and sets the cup down shakily. Zhengting doesn’t get it, won’t get it unless Xukun tells him directly. He puffs out a breath and runs his hand through his hair before pushing his chair backwards to stand up. There’s something about the early hour that makes him impulsive, fills him with an overflowing urgency. He’s not confident no, but right now he feels fit to burst - he can’t keep carrying this around for the rest of the year.

So he says it.

“Not in the way I like you.”

He pretends his heart doesn’t drop as soon as the words spill out, hanging in the air between them. Zhengting stares at him, mouth slightly agape. He’s still beautiful, so beautiful.

“Thank you for the tea.” He says, inclining his head slightly before scooping up his backpack and fleeing as calmly as possible up the stairs to his and Ziyi’s room on the fifth floor.

Two floors up, he realises he still doesn’t have the keycard he needs to get into his room.

 _Fuck it anyways_ , he decides and keeps running, he’d rather sleep outside his door than face Zhengting again.

Lungs worked to capacity, he collapses onto the fifth floor through the fire stairs. Sucking in large gulps of air, he limps windedly down the hallway towards his place, one hand on the wall for support. There’s really only six-ish hours until Ziyi gets back, he can last until then.

“You realise this building has an elevator right?”

No. _Fuck no_.

Xukun gets the horrifyingly sensible thought to maybe run all the way back down those five flights of stairs, out the glass doors and all the way back home. Surely there are cars still on the highway at this time, willing to take on hitchhikers. It’s for a good cause, he swears.

“Just let me swipe you in,” Zhengting calls out to him, voice hushed in consideration for everyone else on this floor. He’s leaning on Xukun’s door, too far away for his expression to be seen, “otherwise I’m sleeping out here too and then I’ll _definitely_ hate you.”

Xukun goes before he can even stop to think, feet moving like clockwork until he’s close enough to see the white of Zhengting’s teeth in his small smile and he’s not sure what to make of that. Xukun isn’t one to fear the unknown, loves the adrenaline rush of getting swept up in forces bigger than himself, but for once he’s too unsteady for his liking and craves to know where he stands.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“For someone who doesn’t want to cause me any trouble, you did leave me two extra mugs to wash.” Zhengting arches an eyebrow and Xukun laughs guiltily, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“I’ll wash them both in the morning,” he promises softly, “first thing.”

“No running away?” Zhengting prods amusedly and Xukun scoffs to cover up his embarrassment.

“As long as you ignore what I said before, sure.” Xukun eyes the door behind Zhengting’s backk, wishing it could just swing open so he could slip inside and convince himself this whole night was a fever dream.

“I don’t know,” Zhengting hums and scrunches his face up like he’s thinking deeply, “what did you say before? Remind me.”

Xukun glares at him incredulously, “Do I really need to repeat it?”

Zhengting just shrugs and pulls out his RA keycard from his pocket, “I don’t know, do you?” He sounds almost giddy, getting off on making Xukun humiliate himself a second time tonight probably. Why the fuck does he like him so much?

“I said,” Xukun scrubs a hand over his face and clenches his eyes shut, huffing sulkily, “I said I like you, okay? Is that enough? Can you let me in now and we can both pretend tonight never happened?”

“Sure,” Zhengting’s tone is light, “I’ll let you in. But I’m not letting you forget about this.”

“Why - “

Pressure on his cheek, just a fleeting touch. Lips, somewhat chapped but sticky with freshly-applied balm. A soft exhale, the lingering scent of green tea, perfectly steeped.

Xukun opens his eyes and there’s Zhengting, soft gaze and exasperated smile, fiddling with the keycard clutched in his hands.

“Because,” he hums, eyes shining sincerely in the low light, “I like you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are appreciated <3 you can also find me @ruibinbins on twt (or my main @sysupportgroup) and talk to me at curiouscat.me/askthepea ^.^


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